The Sunday herald., 1887-01-23
THE MANlNTHE CLUB WINDOW.

Apoutlng beauty staggered me good deal the
other day by saying, as she handed me cup OF tea
at the Madagascar Minister'S reception, "rhe out
look Ia very dlsconrnging for us girls. Upon my
word, haven't heard of single serious afralr and
as for an engagement, don't believe there are three
engaged girls In society. There Ia such u rush here
In the that the men, u they wanted to, could
not be serious. go out no end aud receive good
deal OF hurried and brief attention, but really cant
say that any OF the men seem TO want inc. The
truth Of the business II, the market Ia overstocscd
With Eits. The home supply alone is more than
enough for the deththdi but we poof home girls are
crowded ont by horde OF girls itoth al dvet ths
country. II the men locked here In as lars6 ntn'
bers as the women do, then there would he soGts
thing like chance for some OF the best looking
and richest OF us. Where on earth are the men to
come from who are to marry all of us7" offered
to send out for Clergyman and decrease the num-
Der by one which piece OF public spirit on my part
was met with threat to put neither evrar or cream
in my seventh cup OF tea. aud Iwasinformed tfst NJ
club man need apply
Your friend. Mrs Topaiy, mas just passed the
club on one OF her grand rounds OF visits TO the
Cabinet ladies'. she Is the most persistent and un.
tirng old girl at visiting the ofclal people on their
reception days that ever irotted around every day.
Her visiting list Ia largely made up Of visits that she
has pad, bit the number who have returned them
Ia tety few She Ees, OF cotse, at the close OF the
SEASON. by mail or riessegct boy, the cafd5 uf the
mighty men and official small fly, whch ale f5tdls
believes are so many patents OF social nobility, con
fcrred In recognition OF what she calls her "posi
ion, She is extremely familiar with the wives Of
the mighty and my dears them 10 death. AS she is
too poor to afford carriage, Mrs. Topady has to
walk and as she is nfty II she is day, It's bitter
work trudglng around In all sorts OF weather, Just
that she may say In the bosom OF her boarding.
house that she at this or that reception, WINS
she mourns over the dreadful social decadence that
has taken place here since she was Girl. scken-
| ing but well-founded rumor has always prevailed
that she made her debut at hotel hop, and that her
defunct husband, who was not wholly unconnected
with something In the feed.siore line, fell victim
to her ffty-cent-doll prettness on that momentous
occasion, anu proposed to furnish her with forage
for life at cost Sue occupies the place OF honor on
the righto her landady, and Is much lookedup TO as
| gteat social authority and society leader by tDat
sifhplehe creature, whowotshps from afar the
dazzling aiid Glddy tfrotg whose dongs are brought
forth and served weekly by poor Old MIS- Toplady.
Shrapnel, OF the Army, tells me that Ne never was
| so pulled and hauled and banged about In all OF his
life as he was the other night at the Presidents re-
cepiion. The little man got some Of the trapplugs
of war torn off of him. "Think Of 1t, sir! After
standing for an hour lammed In between two srug-
/
| through the first door. felt like pig under a
gate-there was no getting in or out. Then, when
| gave my name 10 the two functonares at the door,
| the crowd behind me hurried and pushed me past
the President, and had just time to give his hand
a shake, touch the tips Of Mrs. Cleveand's dainty
| fingers, when was swept like toboggan down a
chute past the ladies receiving into the East Room,
| where, exhausted and painting, sat down TO rest
from my labors It seems TO me, as military man,
that a device that would admit only two abreast
| might prevent the discomfort and annoyance Incl
dent to people being allowed to crowd through
door pell-mell. The dignity OF the occasion is
very seriously marred by the present arrangement.
Men and women had their clothing torn and arrived
in the presence of the President in such a dshev.
eled condition that they were too embarrassed to
say or do anything hut aaze wildly about them and
crowd ahead as best they could"
The present mania for newspaper noOrleiy, which
prevails here as well as In England will, think, be
followed by a reaction. The constant ringing Of the
changes upon the names Of the few hundreds who
form society proper is becoming dstasteful to re-
fined people, or course there is large class o
the ambitious who cling TO the idiotic idea that nGto
rety is Distinction and that constant advertisement
Is the road to social position and fashionable eXcu
sveuess. "Famary breeds contempt" The
general public are beginning to weary of the persls
J tent chronicng OF the social performances of OBJ
scure people who wish society to be advertised into
taking them.
There is little book, "The Love Sonne,s of Pro
teus, which appeared few years ago in England
and made n tremendous hit Scribner's Sons have
repubshcd it recently in this country. Every son
ne, IL gem, aud each is marked by terseness aut
| power suggestive OF some Of Shakespeares Their,
is delicate fancy and glowing imagery in some o
the more passionate ones that reminds me OF som
OF Mrs. Browning's sonnets from the Portuguese
The volume is just the kind to pick up in club win
dow, by the lreside when the back log is burnin
Its best, or in hammock out under the trees Of
, summers eve.
theatrical performance calculated to amuse or re
; fresh me. To expect any reasonable being TO nm
enjoyment in the sensational rubbish which
| presented season after season hero 10 too much
J The sangunary melodrama, In which the frlDg q
pistols, urid scenery, and impossible situations ar
the salient points, am asked to relish, is maxim
rather heavy demand on human endurance.
, The Reception Smile, as worn this winter, has q
elementOf fatigue and unrest about Its expression
u 1t seems to come TO stay when once 1t begins bus
J ness. know one pretty woman who rests herse
=. from smiling by looking pensve and wearing he
pretty mouth q little open the lips slightly parte'
The effect is Interesting and always attracts sympi
thy A perfectly straight face with look OF neal
sightedness is also an Ingenious way Of resting III
facial muscles from the wearness of too prolonge
effort of the Reception Smile.